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Improving health and wellbeing through General Practice in the Goldfields Esperance region.
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Helping General Practitioners to build a healthier community. Promoting awareness of General Practice and improving access to allied and primary health care by partnership with other health care services.
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- The health and wellbeing of members and staff.
- To be community focused and culturally appropriate.
- To seek cooperation and collaboration with the community and other stakeholders.
- To demonstrate integrity and proved quality.
- Be sensitive to equity and access throughout the region.
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The Network was formed in 1994 and has a main office in Kalgoorlie-Boulder (596km from Perth) and a second office in Esperance (394km from Kalgoorlie). Project staff are employed throughout the region.
The socio-demographics within the Eastern Goldfields region are quite diverse. Long distances are common to all remote communities; however they can differ in function and infrastructure from being a coastal fishing port and harbour, farming community to a mining town or an Aboriginal Community. The level of isolation and impact on health by environmental conditions is often more marked than seen in rural and metropolitan communities. The low population density has important implications for the type and range of health services available, and for staff recruitment and retention.
The major industry of employment of residents in the Eastern Goldfields is mining (21%), retail (11.2%), property or business (7.8%). The mining and service industry based workforce is predominantly transient, working long hours and travelling large distances.
The Network sets its goals by working collaboratively with key stakeholders including the Department of Health and Ageing, Goldfields South East Health Region (GSEHR - Department of Health, Western Australia), Aboriginal Medical Services, community leaders, and other health and social service providers in the region. Strong links are also essential with other organisations including the Rural Clinical School (RCS), Western Australian Centre for Remote and Rural Medicine (WACRRM), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP), General Practice Divisions of Western Australia (GPDWA), and the Australian Medical Association (AMA).
 The Aged Care panel
This panel consists of representatives from the Kalgoorlie-Boulder community who endeavor to enhance and coordinate the care that clients living in a residential Aged Care Facilities receive. The panel links in Aged Care Facilities and GP's who look after and manage there clients.
Men's Health
The program started in 1999 and then changed direction with the formation of Goldfields Men's Health Inc. A research component conducted from 2003 - 2005 into the effect of impact of industry work practices relating to the mining industry in the Goldfields. The Men's Health Project has a high profile promoting annual events which have become part of the community diary to promote men's health throughout our region.
Immunisation
This program has successfully improved the immunisation rate throughout the region to a minimum of 90%.
Youth Health
This program aims to improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of young people living in the Goldfields by providing them with healthy lifestyle education and opportunities to increase their ability to identify and engage in healthy lifestyle options.
More Allied Health Services (MAHS)
Under the umbrella of MAHS there are several programs. The MAHS programs itself has been recognised for the provision of remote services and also data collection tools which were developed by the Network and which have been requested to be used as a framework by the Australian Government for other Networks. The program is also recognised for its collaborative nature using Memorandums of Understanding and Agreements with agencies such as Bega Garnbirringu, Goldfields South East Health Region, Nganganawilli Aboriginal Health Services, Mid West Gascoigne Health Services and Goldfields Women's Health Service for the provision of allied health services.
MAHS CVD Take Heart Programs for cardio-vascular rehabilitation have been successfully run in Esperance for some years with ongoing success. The program has increased the awareness in the community of cardiovascular disease. The program in collaboration with other agencies was recognised by the Heart Foundation in their annual awards.
MAHS Dietetics Dietetics Clinics are run in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area and the remote locations of Wiluna, Leinster, Laverton, Leonora. With the inclusion of Bega Garnbirringu clinics, more ATSI clients have been seen and an increase from 33.3% to 55.5% in total took place.
MAHS Podiatry Podiatry Clinics were run in Kalgoorlie-Boulder at Bega Garnbirringu, Old Australia Medical Centre and remote Goldfields locations These included Wiluna, Leinster, Laverton and Leonora. Toenail and corn/callus problems are the most common presenting complaint in each of the remote areas. Diabetes related concerns are the main reason for appointments at Bega Garnbirringu.
MAHS Physiotherapy Remote These clinics were run in Laverton and Leonora. The most common presenting complaints were musculoskeletal.
MAHS Diabetes Diabetes clinics are run out of the Old Australia Medical Centre in Kalgoorlie- Boulder with remote services to Laverton, Leonora and Mt Margaret. Diabetes is a growing epidemic and of high concern in the Goldfields especially among ATSI patients. The aim of this program is to increase and facilitate lifestyle behavioural changes to improve the management of diabetes and reduce risk factors for Aboriginal people.
MAHS Women's Councelling Service This service is jointly funded from the GEGPN MAHS program and the Goldfields Women's Health Centre. This enables women to benefit from engaging in professional councelling processes to work through difficult issues in a safe and confidential environment.
MAHS Lurrtjurringa Lan This project commenced in August 2006 and is a partnership between GEGPN, Disability Services and Population Health. It aims assist Laverton and surrounding communities to better access and promote health care services through the employment of a local Aboriginal Health Worker.
Eastern Goldfields Regional Reference Site/GoldHealth Network
The GEGPN was chosen by the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing as Australia's only Reference Site for access to Broadband Technology for General Practitioners and associated health professionals.
The primary objective of the project was to test, measure and demonstrate the benefits of health care providers having access to high speed, continuous, high quality broadband connectivity via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) through which they may effectively and securely access a range of relevant information and communication applications. The Reference Site connected 100% of the GP Practices across the region, 3 Medical Specialists, 2 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services, 1 region hospital, a district hospital, radiology, pathology, the RFDS, the Rural Clinical School, 3 Pharmacies, 1 Aged Care Facility, the GEGPN in Kalgoorlie and Esperance. This Project won an ATUG Award in early 2006 for be the “Best Regional Communications Solution.” The EGRRS Project was funded until 30 June 2006 and is now the sustainable “GoldHealth Network”.
Managing the Mix
The Goldfields Esperance GP Network was one of 19 Divisions/Networks receiving funding under the National Alcohol and Other Drugs Comorbidity Initiative to improve the knowledge, skills and capacity of the general practice sector in the prevention and management of high prevalence alcohol and mental health comorbidities in primary care. The Goldfields Esperance GP Network has been chosen as the National Case Study for this Program.
Continuing Professional Development
The Goldfields Esperance GP Network has a very comprehensive Continuing Professional Development Program and hosts an Annual ‘Goldfields Weekend’.
The 2006 Goldfields Weekend was a comprehensive program focused on “Pregnancy Birth and Early Childhood in the Goldfields” and also included a presentation by Nobel Prize Winner Professor Barry Marshall.
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Recruitment and retention of GPs working in the remote environment of the Goldfields is an ongoing challenge of which continuing national initiatives can only enhance.
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Providing equitable health care in both regional and remote environments through the development of programs to enhance access to other services.
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Further consolidation of our programs in CPD, Workforce Support, Locum Provision, More Allied Health Services through out the communities of our region, Immunisation Cardiovascular Disease/Diabetes, Men's Health, Youth Health, Palliative Care, and the Broadband initiative.
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Maintaining GP input into local health initiatives.
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Maintaining the impetus of the “GoldHealth Network” to assist and inform the Australian Government about future, connectivity, demand aggregation and adoption. |
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